Search form

Search form

Ford attempted to use a Google+ Hangout to preview a video spot for its 2013 Mustang model -- but technical glitches meant that viewers were instead treated to a series of pictures of Ford rep Craig Daitch. The incident left one Google+ commenter joking that the new vehicle "looks like a middle aged white guy" before Ford realized the error and directed viewers to watch the spot on YouTube or Facebook.

Related Summaries

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg used her New York studio as the setting for the first-ever shoppable Google+ Hangout. Von Furstenberg was interviewed about clothes for various careers, and a Hangout window presented the clothes within the show, giving viewers a click-to-buy option. Sales numbers are not in, but the promo video attracted 2.3 million views on YouTube.

President Barack Obama held a "fireside Hangout" on Google+ on Thursday, and recent days have seen appearances by other political, TV and Hollywood A-listers. That suggests that Google+ remains committed to building an audience for Hangouts even though the network has struggled to gain traction, Christopher Heine writes.

Google has revamped the look and navigation of its Google+ social net. A customizable navigation bar on the left supplants the static version formerly at the top of the page. Other features encourage conversation among members by enhancing the size of videos and photos to inspire comments, and dedicated "Hangouts" pages.

Brands such as Ford, Cadbury, Burberry and Intel are making a name for themselves on Google+ by getting creative with features such as Circles and Hangouts, Rob McLeod writes. But there will be opportunity for other brands to get in on the action as Google fleshes out the network's feature set, McLeod predicts. "[I]t's about spotting an opportunity and going for it," he writes.

MySpace is struggling to compete in a changing business environment, but it's still possible for the social network to claw its way back to relevance, writes Craig Daitch. To turn things around, Daitch argues, News Corp. needs to declare war on Facebook and find ways to play to its strengths -- customizability, creativity and user empowerment -- without sacrificing its brand. "MySpace has seen some dark chapters in recent times, but the story is far from over," Daitch writes.